Escudero: Reds should restore ceasefire to pave way for resumption of peace talks

Peace negotiations between the Duterte administration and communist insurgents may have a chance to resume if the rebels will put a halt to hostilities against government forces, Senator Francis Escudero said Wednesday. 

"Una, nagdeklara ng pagtigil ng ceasefire ang CPP-NPA-NDF. Siguro dapat mauna sila na ibalik 'yun upang sa gayon ay magkaroon ng daan ang kapayapaan," Escudero said in an interview on News To Go. 

"Magkaputukan man, magkabarilan man, sana hindi ito magtagal at sana manatiling bukas ang posibilidad ng pag-uusap dahil ang tagal-tagal na ng rebelyong ito," he added. 

It was the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) who lifted the unilateral ceasefire which President Rodrigo Duterte answered by ordering the military to go on the offensive. 

Duterte then scrapped the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) even if there had been significant progress in the past three rounds of talks which started in August last year, such as the reaffirmation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

Both sides were also supposed to discuss the possibility of implementing a bilateral ceasefire later this month. 

Escudero believes the government and the communist rebels will still find their way back to the negotiating table. 

"Naniniwala ako na ito ay hiccup lamang. Ito ay hamon at pagsubok lamang sa usaping kapayapaan... Wala ring dahilan para hindi ito manumbalik bagaman nagkakainitan sila ngayon," the senator said. 

The Duterte administration has said it remains committed to the peace process by finding opportunities which will benefit conflict-affected communities. 

“Despite the cancellation of the peace talks, the Duterte administration remains committed in its peace efforts by continuing with resolve to explore all opportunities to intensify implementation of genuine reforms for the benefit of the people, particularly socio-economic programs in conflict-affected communities,” the government peace panel said in a statement on Tuesday.

The government panel also assured the public of the government's pursuit to stop attempts to disrupt law and order and attain lasting peace. —Virgil Lopez/KG, GMA News